About the LSF

The London Screenwriters’ Festival is an annual three day conference for screenwriters.

In 2018, the LSF will be held at Regents University in Regents Park, from the
7th to 9th of September. Directions to the venue, here.

For the three days, over 1,000 screenwriters, filmmakers, producers, practitioners, actors and executives congregate to share ideas, build powerful relationships, hear pitches and get a creative shot in the arm.

Most delegates report massive breakthroughs in their understanding of the business and craft, as well as huge acceleration toward their career goals. However, perhaps the most vital part of the festival is the inspiration and sense of belonging you will experience when you attend. Year on year, delegates report that the community at the festival is one of the main reasons they return.

The Main Events

During the three days of the festival there are around 130 structured seminars, lessons and workshops.

There are four separate strands so that at any one moment, you can choose from up to four different sessions.

You can see the schedule for this year, here (the schedule for 2018 will start to populate in the months before the festival). You can see an evolving list of the 2018 sessions, here.

You do not need to book a place for any of these sessions, they are all on a first come, first seated basis. Occasionally, some sessions are so popular, seating will run out. We will try and give you advance warning about these sessions so you can get there early if you want to attend.

Between sessions there are half hour breaks, with a ninety minute break for lunch. Onsite, there is breakfast, lunch and dinner available, plus drinks, tea and barista coffee. The breaks are a great opportunity to network with delegates and speakers.

In the evenings (Friday and Saturday of the festival) we host networking drinks which most delegates and many speakers attend. It’s a chance to unwind, consolidate old relationships and create new relationships.

Additionally, on the Thursday night before the official opening of the festival, there is a networking party where you can pick up your pass early.

Over half the delegates usually attend this Thursday event.

On the Saturday night of the festival we host The British Screenwriters’ Awards.

As a festival pass holder you are invited to attend the awards on the Saturday night of the festival (seating limited to 450).

There is a floorplan of the venue (that will be updated before the festival), here.

We also film most sessions so you don’t miss out. These sessions form an ever growing library of world class seminars and workshops that are available to delegates only.

When you sign up you will get access to all past video sessions as well as the sessions from the festival for which you have purchased a pass. You can watch a sample video, an ‘In conversation with William Nicholson’ the screenwriter of Gladiator, by clicking, here.

“

The LSF team and volunteers go to a huge effort to make the festival a completely mind-blowing experience

Charlotte Essex, screenwriter

The Speakers

Every year we have around 150 industry professionals who come and speak. In the past we have played host to the worlds biggest screenwriters, producers, agents and directors.

Over 600 industry professionals have now presented at the LSF including execs and producers from the broadcasters, Hollywood studios, UK productions (large and small and everything in between).

Alongside the industry professionals, world class screenwriting tutors and practitioners from the UK and Hollywood also attend, providing what are often the most widely attended sessions of the festival. They have included…

Pilar Alessandra (Pitching expert)

Christopher Vogler (Writers Journey)

Scott Myers (The Black List)

Karl Iglesias (Hollywood script expert)

Jen Grisanti (Hollywood TV Expert)

Linda Aronson (non linear expert)

Julie Gray (Story expert)

Christopher Vogler (Hero’s Journey expert)

Linda Pogieter (Negotiation expert)

Luke Ryan (Producing expert and active producer)

Kate Leys (Script expert and also active script editor)

There is an up to date list of speakers, here (there will be around 150 by 9th Sept).

“

It's an amazing feeling being somewhere and thinking, 'Oh I get it - this is my place, and this is my thing'

Mandy Jayne Constance, Screenwriter

The British Screenwriters’ Awards

Join us in celebrating great screenwriting at the Great British Screenwriters’ Awards at the festival. It’s about time someone put the originators and architects 0f great storytelling front and centre. And we rose to the challenge in 2014 and launched the British Screenwriters’ Awards.

As a festival pass holder you are invited to the Awards on the Saturday night of the festival though you should remember that seating is limited. You can find out more about the awards, here.

“

A whirlwind where for three days, the outside world simply ceased to be

Emmanuel Casey, Writer

Additional Events

During the festival there are also separate events that are included as part of your ticket. You must apply for each of these events ahead of the festival and the process for application differs slightly for each.

The Great British Pitchfest!

Most popular of these additional initiatives is the Great British Pitchfest where you get the chance to pitch your projects to execs, producers, agents and filmmakers. Each delegate gets ONE ninety minute slot for the Pitchfest and the booking system goes live on 9th Sept.

These slots go fast so make sure you are available to book yours (we will email you about this closer to the time).

During your ninety minute slot you can pitch as many execs as you can get to – there is a queuing system and the most popular execs will have the longest queues.

Thinking strategically could get you up to eight pitches with little or no waiting in line, or as few as three if you are late, don’t plan and make poor choices. Success in the pitching will be entirely up to your preparedness, and of course a killer idea.

The Hollywood Pitchfest is a whole new evolution. We arrange video conferencing meetings with execs in Hollywood and you get to pitch online at the festival.

It’s a whole new world and whole new game. It’s the same deal as the Great British Pitchfest and slots last 90 minutes. You cannot pitch at both the British and Hollywood Pitchfests, you need to choose one.

You can see the 70 or so Pitch Execs attending the Pitchfest here (most will go online in the Summer).

ITV want us to go in and pitch them a full series overview for our TV Drama and Carnaby are really keen to work with us to develop our second TV series idea. Amazing!

Gareth Meredith, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… The Advanced Mentoring Script Labs

The objective of the Labs is to assist writers who have a fully developed screenplay in a specific genre, to move their work to the next level.

There are six three hour Labs at the festival, covering a variety of disciplines and topics. Within each Lab there is space for up to six writers. Each year the labs are different.

Past Labs have included ‘Writing For Disney with Finding Nemo writer Dave Reynolds, Writing The Hollywood Thriller with Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas, Writing Fantastical Universes with Guardians of the Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman, Writing Comedy Features with Borat writer Dan Mazer and Writing For Channel Four with former Channel Four Commissioner Gub Neal. Submissions open 28th July and close 13th Aug and we encourage the writers and expert leading each Lab, to connect and begin work before and after the festival.

I'm still buzzing my socks off about the lab... what a tremendous experience!

Michelle Lindsay, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… The Actors Table Read

The actors table read is an opportunity for you to get your screenplay workshopped by professional actors and a director. This has proven to be our most successful initiative to date with 99.8% positive feedback from the 200 people involved last year.

In 2018 we aim to have 144 slots available.

If you submit a script to the process and you are selected, you will attend a one hour session where you, the director and the actors will work on one sequence (between 3 and five pages) of your script.

These are closed sessions and they run throughout all three days of the festival. Submissions open on 19th June and close 30th July. Successful applicants will be announced on 1st Sept

You can see the actors and directors who will work on your scripts, here.

“

The table read and the pitching were wonderful, and will always be a draw for me.

Stephan Burn, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… Script Chat

After each session, speakers are invited to meet delegates in round table sessions that we call ‘Script Chats’.

These informal and intimate chats can often run for an hour or more. It’s our way of giving direct access to specific experts so that if you want to, you can take the conversation to the next level. We have found that even the biggest names are happy to spend time coaching and sharing in Script Chats.

You do not need to book a place at a script chat, just turn up. Sessions that are followed by a script chat will marked accordingly on the schedule. More here.

“

I then sat at a small table with Stephen fricking Frears and chatted with him. I chatted with Stephen Frears!

Lisa McMullin, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… The Script Surgery

Submit a two page outline and the first ten pages of your script and we will offer expert feedback in a fifty minute one on one session.

The booking system for Script Reading goes live on 17th July. You can choose your slot when the sessions go live (last year all slots went in the first hour). If you get a slot, one of our readers will connect with you before the festival.

On the day and time of your booking, go to your appointment with a print out of your outline and first ten pages of script, and you will be met by your script doctor. At any one time, six script doctors are in session and we aim to offer help on around 100 projects. More here.

We also operate a drop in desk over the three days of the festival. So if you want to just rock up with your script, get some feedback or ask for career advice, head over to the Script Surgery and book yourself a slot in one of the drop in sessions.

“

I came to LSF last year on a whim and left with an agent and having formed a writers group through a script lab.

Lisa McMullin, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… The Legal Clinic

Do you have legal issues you need a lawyer to help you with? All delegates at the festival have the option to apply for the legal clinic that is run by Blue Pencil Media.

You can ask any question you like and their legal team will do their best to answer your concerns. More here.

“

It's an amazing feeling being somewhere and thinking, 'Oh I get it - this is my place, and this is my thing'

Mandy Jayne Constance, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… Meet The Experts

Get a full half hour with seasoned film producers, distributors and executives.

Have your project grilled by a team of heavyweights. Meet The Experts is not for the faint-hearted and you can be certain of a very tough conversation. Think Dragons Den but for writers concepts and projects. More here.

“

You’ll leave feeling invigorated and raring to go. It’s essential that us writers get a good kick up the arse from time to time, and believe me, this festival wears one hell of a big boot...

Michelle Goode, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include…The Elevator Pitch

Feel the fear and do it anyway! The idea is simple… the elevator doors open, you step inside, only to find yourself alone with a top executive… You have 90 seconds to get them to accept your business card!

The elevator pitch will take place several times throughout the festival and always during breaks so you never need to miss a session. No booking needed, it’s first come first served. More here.

“

The Elevator Pitch was the best shot of adrenaline I’ve had in years – the perfect legal high

Diana Rampton, Writer & Filmmaker

Other popular sessions include… Script To Screen LIVE

Read the script, watch the film or TV show, then meet the writers, filmmakers, producers at the festival. This is a rare opportunity to get access to the script that was taken to set, then follow it through the journey of production, examining changes which can be discussed during the session at the festival.

In the past we have run these fantastically insightful and entertaining screenings with Jim Uhls and Fight Club, W. Peter Iliff and Point Break, Carl Gottlieb and Jaws, Joel Schumacher and The Lost Boys, Joe Eazterhas and Basic Instinct, Ted Tally and Silence Of The Lambs and Dave Reynolds and Finding Nemo.

“

ITV want us to go in and pitch them a full series overview for our TV Drama and Carnaby are really keen to work with us to develop our second TV series idea. Amazing!

Gareth Meredith, Screenwriter

Other popular sessions include… Speed Networking

It’s tough to work an entire room at one event, there are just too many people to meet. The answer for us is our new organised Speed Networking. In just 50 minutes, you will meet 20 to 30 new people; then you can choose to continue the conversation later at the party, with the people who you feel you have the deepest connection or shared interests.

Additional Workshops

During the festival and within the main sessions there will be many ‘interactive’ workshops too, where you may be invited to submit a script for editing, or to read a script in preparation for a special ‘script to screen’ session, such as the one with Joe Eszterhas and Basic Instinct that we ran in 2013 or Silence Of The Lambs with Ted Tally in 2015.

These sessions will come online in the late Summer and we will send you emails about them as and when they lock down.

Getting Your Pass

You can sign up now and get your pass HERE. Passes cost £348 (inc VAT).

We offer a full refund if you cannot make it (up to 30 days before the festival).

After that you can transfer your pass to someone else or defer your pass to the following year. Just let us know if you want to do this.

One pass will get you full access to the festival. Last year we sold out nearly one month before the festival, so don’t wait to get yours.

You will need a pass BEFORE you can book any of the additional sessions such at the PitchFest, Labs or Actors Table Read.

Many delegates miss out on great stuff because they don’t plan their festival ahead of time. Read the emails we send and act on submissions and deadlines.

Once you sign up you will be sent an introductory email with a link to the Festival Network called LSFConnect, where we share the archive of festival videos (over 150 seminars online now).

Inside the network you can also connect with other creatives and start your festival experience right away. There is a short introductory video that you should watch BEFORE joining the network. You can watch that video here. If the link that you have been sent has expired, drop us an email (chris@londonswf.com) and we will get a direct invite sent out to you.

You will be sent a special delegate guidebook (PDF link via email) which you should print out and read.

This will give you an overview of the whole event and offer additional detail where needed. This book will be updated two wees before the festival and should be re-downloaded and printed out at that time. We will email you about this update when it becomes available. At the festival we will also give you a printed copy.

Again, many delegates skip printing and reading this document and subsequently miss out on many terrific initiatives simply because they did not know about them until deadlines passed. Spend fifteen minutes sooner rather than later, getting to grips with everything on offer.

When you arrive at the Festival you will be able to collect your Festival pass from registration. Without your pass you will not be allowed entry into the events, so please don’t lose it.

You can collect your pass on the Thursday Night Networking party on the 6th September 2018, or on the Friday morning of the festival. We advise getting to the venue early as there may be bottle necks for the first hour or so.

Registration will stay open during the festival in case you cannot make Friday morning.

Festival Week

In the three days running up to the festival (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) we run a series of one day masterclasses.

We have designed these to be as useful as possible for delegates, especially those traveling from great distances. They are competitively priced at £48.50 per day (for LSF delegates).

By far the most popular is Pitching Thursday (Evening) with Pilar Alessandra as it sets you up for the pitch of your life in the Great British PitchFest. You can get more information on Festival Week, here.

“

Thank you for this unforgettable time and life-changing experience. It was magical!

Valeriya Ordinartseva, Screenwriter

## Important Operational Emails ##

Once signed up, we will email you regularly with updates when needed. We will always do this with a header using hashtags. An example email header might be…

## PitchFest Booking System, Goes Live On Saturday ##

This would signify this is an operational email from us that you should read and not leave till the end of the week or delete as spam. We do send a lot of these emails as we don’t want you to miss out on the good stuff.

“

I cannot tell you how invaluable the Actors Table Read was for me - and from feedback I've heard other writers too

Duane Kulikowsky, Screenwriter

World Class Support Team

We pride ourselves on having the best support team possible. Each and every one of them will help deliver the most extraordinary experience for you at the festival.

You will also find that like you, most of them are also writers who have chosen to support you and your career. They are officially the superheros of the festival.

“

LSF makes you step out of your comfort zone and experience the fear that will make you free

Richard Paul Wheildon, Screenwriter

Feedback

Want more convincing? We have a ton of feedback from both delegates AND speakers (and execs) that you can read, here.

We get feedback to help share the awesome experience of the festival with others, as well as getting insight into how we can improve even more year on year.

Below is just one random quote…

“

An outstanding and extremely well-run Lab and my writing has benefited enormously from it. Can't thank you guys enough.

Eben Skilleter, Screenwriter

Join the movement

People come to their first LondonSWF for the sessions and the speakers. People return for the feeling of belonging and the other delegates. The festival is like an annual family gathering, a tribe if you like, of people who get who you are, and you get who they are. We are not alone, and as a community, we are a movement.

This sense of belonging is repeatedly reported as the single most important aspect of the festival.

“

I’ve run a Production Company for 6 years, done the fest circuit and it’s safe to say LSF was the most electric, stimulating and family like experience yet.

Gary Verby, Screenwriter

Whoahhhh! There’s a lot going on!

Yes there is and that’s what is SO awesome about the festival. We have lovely staff who will answer your questions, as will the veteran delegates who offer so much too. Getting the most from the festival is all about getting prepared and then letting yourself go, allowing the experience to take a hold of you.

The London Screenwriters' Festival is owned and operated by London Creative Festivals Limited, Ealing Studios, Ealing Green, London W5 5EP

Terms and conditions

If you need to cancel your ticket purchase you can get a full refund up until 30 days prior to the first event. After that we cannot offer refunds but we can offer a ‘rollover’ of your pass to the following year. You can only ‘rollover’ if you notify us of your non attendance BEFORE the festival. Refunds will be paid back promptly although we reserve the right to charge up to a 10% admin fee in some cases. In some circumstances, refunds may take place after the event due to staff workload. We aim to be prompt but it could take up to 30 days to process. Alternatively, tickets are transferable to other people if you can find someone to replace you and we are happy to change the name on the ticket. Please allow 48 hours for a change of name on the pass to take place. We reserve the right to decline admission and offer a full refund at our discretion. We reserve the right to change the venue and dates of the event. Tickets rolled over from a previous year(s) or event(s) are not eligible for a refund. We reserve the right to cancel the event and offer a full refund.

Speaker and session disclaimer

The London Screenwriters' Festival sets out to secure agreements from each speaker and workshop leader prior to announcing their involvement and commitment to appear. However, one or more speakers may be unable to appear or may not arrive at their scheduled time for any number of reasons. The Festival cannot be responsible if a speaker does not appear as scheduled. Additionally, the London Screenwriters' Festival sessions and workshops may be cancelled or rescheduled at any time; and the London Screenwriters' Festival retains the right to change the content of any session at any time.